"I have had my supper, gentlemen," replied he, quietly, "and
was comfortably digesting it, as you see. But come in, and
tell me what brings you hither."

"Good news, general."

"Bah! Has Lambert sent us word that he will fight
to-morrow?"

"No, but we have just captured a fishing-boat conveying fish
to Newcastle."

"And you have done very wrong, my friends. These gentlemen
from London are delicate, must have their first course; you
will put them sadly out of humor this evening, and to-morrow
they will be pitiless. It would really be in good taste to
send back to Lambert both his fish and his fishermen, unless
---- " and the general reflected an instant.

"Tell me," continued he, "what are these fishermen, if you
please?"

"Some Picard seamen who were fishing on the coasts of France
or Holland, and who have been thrown upon ours by a gale of
wind."

"Do any among them speak our language?"

"The leader spoke some few words of English."